Global Day of Action for Climate Justice in Quezon City Calls for Climate Emergency Declaration

Quezon City, Philippines  — Yesterday, November 15, 2024, advocates from various sectors gathered to amplify the call for a Climate Emergency Declaration in response to the escalating impacts of the climate crisis. This Global Day of Action for Climate Justice, organized by a coalition of climate and social justice organizations, seeks to mobilize communities and stakeholders to demand urgent climate action.

The event began with an assembly at 7:30 AM, followed by a Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in UP Village. Approximately 238 participants from the church group alone joined in solidarity, reflecting a strong commitment to addressing the climate crisis from a faith-based perspective. Participants from various advocacy groups, faith-based organizations, and concerned citizens united in prayer and action, emphasizing the moral imperative of climate action. It was estimated that a total of 4,000 people joined the mobilization.

Following the Mass, a march was held from Claret Church through Mahinhin, Mayaman, and Maharlika Streets, converging at the main program area along Elliptical Road. This route symbolizes the intersection of communities most vulnerable to climate change and the urgent pathways needed for systemic change.

Highlighting the message, banners, and slogans called for an immediate climate emergency declaration, stressing the need for policy reforms, just transitions to renewable energy, and measures to mitigate climate-induced disasters. Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI), joined by Caritas Philippines, Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Task Force Detainees, 350 Pilipinas, and various local and international groups, urges government leaders to take bold and urgent steps.

This Global Day of Action reflects a worldwide movement, coinciding with parallel events advocating climate justice globally. As we approach COP29, this action seeks to pressure world leaders to adopt stronger commitments toward climate justice, pushing for real solutions that prioritize the most affected communities.

” Ang hustisyang pangklima ay usapin ng bawat magsasaka,mangingisda, katutubo, kababaihan, at kabataan. Ang pagbubukas at pagpapanatili ng napakaraming minahan sa Pilipinas ang isa sa dumaragdag sa krisis pangklimang tinatamasa natin ngayon. Kaya’t marapat na panagutin ang mga korporasyon at opisyal na nasa likod nito ”, Jing Barrios, Anti-Mining Campaign Project Officer of PMPI.

(“Climate justice is a matter for every farmer, fisherman, indigenous people, women, and youth. The opening and maintenance of so many mines in the Philippines is one of the things that add to the climate crisis we are experiencing today. Therefore, corporations and officials who are behind it should be held accountable”)

” The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue; it’s a matter of social justice. We need leaders to step up and take responsibility to secure a just and sustainable future,” added Raevene Morillo, Rights of Nature Campaign Project Officer of PMPI.

The day ended with a powerful program that reiterated the coalition’s demands for climate emergency and justice, sending a strong message to national and international that it’s time to act on climate with the urgency and scale it demands. There is no climate justice without the Rights Of Nature!

Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. stands firm in its commitment to environmental justice and urges all stakeholders to join us in the continued fight for a sustainable and equitable future.

Here are some photos of this day: